Elsa's Happily Ever After
by Kayt Bozlyn
Summary: A year after Elsa learns to control her powers, she's miserable again. But after a letter from a familiar and suspicious kingdom, ten princes come to live in Arendelle. In between running a kingdom, protecting her sister, and uncovering a conspiracy, she's been having nightmares and now...boy trouble. Will Elsa be able to get her happily ever after?
1. The Letter

Elsa woke to the knocking of the butler, Kai. She sat up and yawned. "Thank you, Kai, you may go now," she told him in her most queenly voice through the door. She crawled out of bed, barely noticing when her feet touched solid ice. She may have been able to control it in the daytime now, but while in her sleep, when the nightmares came, she was only warm enough to keep it from leaving her room. That was one of the reasons she never had maids dress her. The doors were always frozen shut in the mornings.

The other reason was that she was uncomfortable with no secrets. After years of hiding herself away from the world, keeping secrets was almost natural to her. Maids that could see what she looked like, who were free to gossip and frolick, talk about her as if she were the evening meal made her feel embarrassed. Queens should not feel embarrassed. They shouldn't feel guilty that they were unused to being dressed by another person.

Another knock came to the door as Elsa trudged toward her personal washing room. "Who is it?" She asked, leaning on the door to the washroom. "It's me, Anna," Anna called from the hallway. "Can I come in?"

Elsa panicked. She loved her sister, and didn't want her to worry. She needed Anna to live an untainted life as long as she could, to protect her from the cruelness of the world. The spark in Anna had to keep burning, to warm the cold hearts in Arendelle. If Anna found out how flawed her sister actually was, she would worry, and she would break if she discovered it was not something she could fix.

"I'm not decent! I'll be there at breakfast," she called to Anna, pulling off her nightgown. She stepped into the tub, which should probably be cold to her, frozen room, fall time, duh, but she felt only a slight chill before the water began to feel a neutral temperature to her.

She scrubbed her skin with the soap, rubbing it carefully before using it, the thin layer of ice covering it melting quickly and dripping into her water, that was beginning to warm a little, the thin layer of ice underneath melting. Afterwards she climbed out, and wrapped herself in a towel.

Quickly dressing herself in a dress, today a deep blue dress with the tips of her shoulders bare, and her shoes heels that matched her dress, she did up her hair in a bun with ice gracing the surrounding hair, Elsa turned toward the door. She closed her eyes for a minute, remembering the heat and melting effect of Anna, the love they shared.

She opened her eyes as the snow and ice cracked and flew upward in the air, Elsa lifting her hands to speed it up, then come together in a rug-sized snowflake. She spread her arms apart, feeling the snowflake disappear to other places, become part of the world again.

Then, feeling confident, she made her entrance from her room into the hallway, thrusting both doors open with her hands. They swung open, and Elsa confidently walked down the empty hallway. She glanced at the portraits of her parents, and swallowed a thick lump in her throat. Even after four years, she missed her mother and father terribly. She looked away, not wishing to show a flaw, not to anyone. She continued down the hallway, and heard the faint sound of doors opening and closing. She was nearing the busier end of the castle.

The doors at the end of the hall flew open. "Elsa!" Anna bounded across the space between them, and hugged her tightly. "You'll never believe what happened! You got a letter!" Elsa raised an eyebrow, smiling. She received letters from all of Arendelle, sometimes even from other countries, like Weselton, the king apologizing for his highest duke and ambassador. They were even to welcome a new ambassador in a few months.

"Gerda has it! Come on!" Anna tugged at Elsa's hand, and she couldn't help laughing as she let Anna lead her down the out, past the railing that looked down the spiral stairs, and onto the stairwell banister. They slid down, in circles and circles going faster and faster until Elsa was getting dizzy. They lept off just as the stairs ended, and slid to the floor, giggling. Elsa smiled as she giggled through her teeth. Anna always made her feel better, feel amazing and loved.

"Your Majesty?" A servant approached her. He bowed to both of them. "There is news awaiting you in the dining room." Elsa stood up, patting down her hair, and reaching an arm to help Anna up. She nodded to him, dismissing him, and took Anna's hand, lacing their fingers together. They would never be separated ever again.

Elsa pushed away such thoughts, and smiled at Anna again. Together they walked through the doors to the dining room, each pushing open a different door. In the dining room they faced chaos. Elsa blinked, but Anna joined the fray with her laugh that made others want to join in. The dining room was a mess. Olaf sat on the table, chuckling quietly to himself as he played with the mini Elsas and Annas, Kristoffs and Olafs made out of ice—a decoration Elsa had installed a month after the snow melt— and Sven was gobbling up most of breakfast. Kristoff was leaning back in his chair, singing a song with his lute, and Anna was racing back towards her, a pale piece of paper in her hands. The guards on the outer edge of the room looked uncomfortable, and Elsa couldn't blame them. She would be too if this weren't so funny.

The paper in Anna's hands was actually a letter, and she thrust it at Elsa as she stopped in front of her. Still stunned by the scene before her, Elsa could only catch it as she snapped back into focus. She lifted the flap of the envelope, already open no doubt Anna had read it, the fancy S I seal on the wax intriguing her. She opened it, pulling out the letter, and studied it. After many "Hmms," and "Oh my,"s that she knew were driving Anna mad, she closed the letter, and slipped it back in the envelope. "So?" Anna asked. "What do you think?" Elsa studied her for a few moments, then thought about the letter again. It had said:

 **Your Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle,**

 **After the treasonous acts of my youngest son, Hans, I wish to propose something that may bring our two countries closer together. Your Majesty, the relationship between our two countries is strained, and I suspect you may regard ourselves with suspicion.**

 **So to bridge the gap between Arendelle and the Southern Isles, I propose that I send my ten youngest sons to Arendelle, the heir and the emergency heir needing to stay here with me, and you send Anna, your younger sister to the Southern Isles and whomever she wishes to bring with her.**

 **If you wish to send your sister to the Southern Isles after I send my sons and bring them back, then that is what will happen. I implore you to think about the alliances this might achieve. Thank you, Your Majesty.**

 **Sincerely,**

 **His Majesty, King Richard of the Southern Isles**

King Richard wished to bridge the uneasiness between their two kingdoms. Elsa had begun to wish it too, after formally receiving an official apology for Han's behavior. Maybe His Majesty, King Richard was right. It was time to move on from the past.

What if the Southern Isles was trying to trick her, steal the crown, the kingdom? Who knew what they had planned? Elsa sighed. Another problem on her plate. She would have to deal with it as the day went on. She had a kingdom to run. She smiled and gave Anna a hug. "Sorry, but I will answer your question tonight, at dinner okay? I have to go work." Elsa turned to leave, but Anna asked, "Can I go with you?" Elsa smiled and nodded. "Of course, but only to walk me there. I need to focus once I'm in the study."

Anna took Elsa's hand and they walked toward the doors together. Unfortunately, when you have close friends, they tend to notice when you're gone. "Wait!" Kristoff yelled after them. "Where are you going?" Sven also stared at them. As Anna explained, Elsa secretly grinned at the besotted look on Kristoff's as he talked with Anna. Anna may not think he was as head over heels in love as she was, but Elsa knew the truth. Kristoff could cover it up with all the humor and sarcasm he wanted to, but he was just as soft as the lot of sappy daydreamers. Kristoff nodded when Anna was done. He sat back down, and strummed his lute again. Sven went back to his eating with equal fervor.

But Olaf was already walking behind them, clutching an Anna in one hand, and a Kristoff in the other, touching their ice faces together and making kissing noises. Anna and Kristoff grew a deep red, and Elsa told Olaf gently to leave his frozen toys behind. Olaf nodded, and gave a giggle. He set the frozen dolls on the table, and ran back to Elsa and Anna, leaping and giggling all the way.


	2. The Decision

"Why can't you decide faster?" Anna groaned as they began the trek to Elsa's study. Olaf continued to follow behind them, commenting on the strangeness of each and every one of the paintings they passed by. "And _his_ nose is shaped weird, and she wears strange clothes, and he…" Elsa shared a smile with Anna, but then Anna's face grew expectant again.

"Anna," Elsa said, "What if they're trying to figure out our secrets? I can't take that chance. On the other hand," she said, thinking out loud, "It would be really insulting to the Southern Isles if I refused. And if it _did_ work out, we could establish a strong alliance with the Southern Isles."

"On the other hand," she said again, "Our country is still weak from my...rampage, and if they were to attack or conspire against us, it wouldn't take much to bring the country down to chaos, and ruin." She tapped one of her long fingernails against her chin, and Anna laughed. Elsa looked at her curiously. "What?"

"It's just like you, Elsa, to think through every little detail. Just invite them. It's so lonely in the castle." Elsa looked at Anna in surprise. Anna was lonely. Of course, Elsa wasn't much company, her being cooped up in her study most of the time, and Sven and Kristoff spent almost everyday from dawn until noon carving out blocks of ice and delivering them.

Olaf was Olaf, but Elsa could see why Anna would be lonely. Olaf went into his own little world every now and then.

For Elsa, Anna came first. Then the kingdom. Her priorities were wrong, but she couldn't help it. Duty may have bound her to it's post, but she could still love Anna. Still protect her. Still guide her. She sighed. "I'll have to think about it," she told Anna, and Anna squealed. "Yes!"

"I never said yes," Elsa reminded Anna, but they were both smiling. They walked in silence, and Olaf took Elsa's hand also. After walking halfway across the castle, they finally reached Elsa's study, a place that had once been her father's. She let go of Anna's and Olaf's hands, waved goodbye, and walked into her study.

* * *

Four hours later found Elsa in her study, finishing her signature to approve a shipping of oranges from Arendelle to the country across the sea. _Corona, the Sun Kingdom_. She smiled a little. No longer did it give her sharp jabs of pain to think that it was that kingdom that had made her parents travel across the sea. She'd heard rumors that the princess had powers too, of course, but she believed them to be just rumors.

She laid the paper aside, later to be copied slipped into envelopes and sent to the owner of these oranges, and to Corona. She sighed, opening the letter from the Southern Isles again. _Ten sons._ Would that be too many in the castle? Anna wouldn't be lonely anymore. But Elsa could invite other princesses from other kingdoms. But this might establish a strong alliance between the Southern Isles and Arendelle.

But they might try to steal the crown, and take Arendelle for themselves. But it would make Anna happy if she allowed them to come to Arendelle! Elsa weighed the two choices carefully. Let them come, or don't. _Anna, alliances,_ a part of her argued. _The kingdom_ , another voice whispered. _Anna. Alliances. The kingdom. The alliances would help the kingdom_ , she reasoned. _But what if they're coming to conspire against you?_

Elsa bit her lip. Then, in a split second decision, she made a choice. She reached for an empty piece of parchment, and paused, thinking. Then she answered the letter, and slipped it into a spare envelope.

She walked to the wide window, and pulled the gold threaded rope once. That rope would summon a maid. She held the envelope tightly in her hand, and turned around, studying her study.

The King's, or in her case, Queen's study was a large, but cozy room with bookshelves covering all the walls. It was square shaped, and only one story tall. One one side of the room was the door into the hallway, made up of a dark walnut wood. Opposite to the door was a large desk facing the door with a chair behind it. The desktop was always covered in parchment.

Near the back of the room and to the left of the great desk was a door made of the same material as the first. This door led to the servants' hallway, which in turn led to almost any room in the castle, as long as you had access, and stayed out of occupied rooms unless you were called. There was also a small velvet couch in the middle of the room, alongside a small table.

Sharply to the right of the extensive desk was a large window that stayed open to let light in. Elsa stood before this window now, and gazed at the the courtyard below. Only when she heard the quiet click of the door closing did she look up. She smiled kindly at the servant before her.

"Can you bring this," Elsa handed her the letter for King Richard, "Straight to the deliverer master's room? Tell him it's important. And," she continued, "Give him these also." She handed the maid the rest of the stack of letters she'd finished. The maid left the room, and Elsa laid on the couch, leaning back and sighing. It was over. Her decision made, she could rest, knowing that no princes would be coming to Arendelle.


	3. What?

The next morning, when Elsa had dressed—now wearing a violet gown— and entered the dining room, no one was there. She blinked in surprise. There were the guards around her of course, but there was no Anna. Kristoff and Sven were obviously off doing their job, but Olaf was gone too. She smiled when she saw that the frozen dolls on the table were all gone.

 _They must be playing right now_ , She reassured herself. But something didn't feel quite right. She marched out of the dining room, pausing only to grab a sugar roll to snack on, and followed the trail of crumbs and the sound of giggling.

They were writing a letter. Elsa shrugged. She had work to do herself. Maybe Anna had made a friend in the town, and was writing her letters. She turned around and walked all the way to her office. Which farmer should she allow to bring the castle carrots? The Greenfields, or the Orsanns?

* * *

 _Seven days later…_

Elsa was concerned. Anna and Olaf were acting really...strange. Secretive. When Elsa asked to go on a walk with Anna, or asked about her welfare, Anna would only decline to answer with a sly smile. She was hard to find around the castle, and hid her doings from Elsa. When Elsa asked Kristoff, he only shrugged and told her he was wondering about the same things.

She sighed, and a knock sounded at the back door of her study. "Come in," she commanded. A maid slipped inside, a letter in her hand. She left it on the table, and left in the same manner she had come. Elsa eyed the distinctive S I on the seal, and sighed again. She supposed that maybe he had decided to declare war on Arendelle, or perhaps ask her a little more sternly to agree to meet his youngest _princes_. The word princes had to be emphasized because Hans was no longer a prince. He'd been stripped of his title the moment he'd arrived in the Southern Isles.

Elsa moved toward the desk. It was her only option. Gulping, she reached for the letter, and broke the seal. She sat in her chair, and braced herself.

 **Your Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle,**

 **I was overjoyed to receive your letter. Your response has been the topic of excitement among my sons and I ever since we read it.**

 _Overjoyed?_ Elsa was confused. She had assumed that His Majesty, King George of the Southern Isles had wished for his sons to come to Arendelle, not the opposite. She swallowed her concern, and kept reading.

 **I have already made plans for their departure, and within ten days they shall arrive at the port of Arendelle.**

 **My young princes shall arrive in a boat with our insignia, and I wish for them to met at the docks, and for them to stay at your royal castle.. I am willing to negotiate the details of the stay, if you wish.**

 **Sincerely,**

 **His Majesty, King Richard of the Southern Isles**

What?


	4. The Plan

"Kai!" The name flew out of her mouth as she serenely closed the study door behind her, and marched forward. Her face was calm, but she had not yet gotten the chance to reassemble her emotions. Was she angry? Was she relieved? The one emotion for certain was that she was confused.

How in the ice had King Richard gotten the idea that she accepted? Elsa stopped mid step and recalled her words.

 **Your Majesty, King Richard of the Southern Isles,**

 **I appreciated the offer of your son's coming to Arendelle, but unfortunately, I must decline your offer. Understandably, things have been hectic here lately, and although I do not blame you for your son's actions, we have to consider the damage he left behind.**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle**

That sounded right, and King Richard seemed too smart and too diplomatic to outrightly ignore a (though polite)refusal. No. It had to be something else. Interfering forces. _Interfering with royal mail?_ Elsa could not think of anything else, although she wanted to. It was against the law for ones not of the royal family to interfere with the royal mail, or any mail at all! She hoped with all her heart the offender had done it on purpose with evil intentions. Oh how she hated punishing innocents!

"Your Majesty." The answer to her call was soft, but she jumped. Turning, she addressed Sir Adam Sherrod, her first knight. He had come to her three months after the difficulties had been mostly solved and pledged his loyalty to her without hesitation. She had yet to know why he had done it. After all, wasn't she the most one of the most unstable queens in all of Arendelle's history?

Sir Sherrod was the son of Earl Jonathan Sherrod, whom Elsa had heard had once been her father's best friend. She believed that she could likely trust him and his son. Someday she hoped to increase her number of knights, to win the loyalty of her kingdom.

"Yes, Sir Sherrod?" Elsa inquired in answer to his address. "There is a man at the gate demanding entrance. Shall I instruct my men to let him in?" Elsa pondered his words. "Did he say his name?" Elsa asked Sir Sherrod. He nodded. "He said his name was Kristoff. He had the clothes of a commoner, and a reindeer."

She frowned a little. "What would he be doing here at this time of the day?" she wondered out loud.

"I presume that you wish for me to let him in."

"Yes, Sir Sherrod."

"Then I will take my leave, Your Majesty?"

"Request granted."

Elsa watched him go, and twisted her skirts in her fingers. Oh how she wished that conversations with her only knight were not so stilted and formal. She'd always thought when found a man honorable and of high enough station to become one of her knights that their talk would be more casual than formal.

"Your Majesty." Another voice answered her. Elsa turned to a bowing Kai. "You called for me?"

Elsa straightened herself. "I believe that there may have been an interference with the royal mail," she informed him, but before she could continue, she was interrupted. "Elsa! Stop! I'm sorry! It was me." Elsa turned in surprise to look at Anna, and Kai stepped away. "I think I'll leave you to converse in private, Your Majesty." He bowed to Elsa. "My princess." He bowed to Anna, and walked away as Elsa pulled Anna into her private study.

"Explain yourself," Elsa commanded her sister as she closed the door behind them. Anna sat down on one of the couches, and cleared her throat. "I switched the letters so you said yes." _What?_ Elsa's mind cried. She stared at Anna. "What exactly did you write? If it wasn't diplomatic—

Anna stood up, and took her hand. "Stop worrying so much! It's okay, I had someone else who knows how to be diplomatic check it over." Elsa's throat was tight, and she squeaked out, "Who?" Anna's lips frowned a little. "I'm sorry, Elsa. I promised him that I wouldn't tell." Elsa eyed her. "So it was a he then?"

Anna sighed, and wrapped her hands around Elsa's. "It's going to be fine. Don't worry. They will be here in eight days I think. And besides," she said when Elsa continued to look frustrated and worried. "It has been so lonely. It's hard to make friends with the other nobles, and of course I can't make friends with the peasants very well. I love you so much, and Olaf and Kristoff and Sven, but—"

"It's not enough," Elsa finished for her, no malice or hurt in her tone. Elsa understood what she was feeling. She sighed. There was nothing she could do to change what had happened. She had to do the only thing she _could_ do. She had to receive them.

"Okay."

Anna smiled brightly. "I knew you would understand!" She leaned in close and gave Elsa a tight hug. Smiling hesitantly, Elsa wrapped her arms around Anna also, and for a moment, Elsa forgot about her worries, and just soaked Anna's warmth in. _Thank you, sister._

Then Anna drew back, still smiling, and Elsa began worrying again. "We need to start preparations right away! I need to memorize their complete names, and I need to figure out what wing of the castle they will stay in. The banquets and meals need to be arranged, along with activities for them to enjoy of Arendelle, and I need to speak with King Richard!" Anna laughed. "I'll help decorate! I can find Olaf for that too. Oh! We could make ice sculptures!" She chattered on, until a knock on the door from the study to the outer hallway interrupted her.

"Just a moment, Anna," Elsa said. She raised her voice a little, and said as queenly as she could while her sister was present. "Come in."

Kristoff slipped through the doors, and Sven followed behind, trying to come through with as much grace as Kristoff and failing. He bumped the door a little bit wider than was necessary. "Queen Elsa," he said, bowing a little. Ever since Elsa had been reinstated as the true and full queen of Arendelle, her friends had insisted on calling her by her royal title. However, when she tried to put an end to it, the closest compromise she could come to was slight bows and the title "Queen" before her name. She supposed she would take what she could get.

Then Kristoff turned to Anna. "Anna! I found the most amazing clearing up in the mountains. I know I try to not bother you with trifling things, but this is amazing! It would be perfect for a picnic." Anna brightened considerably, and she took Elsa's arm. "Come on. It will be relaxing for you."

Gently, Elsa took her hand out of Anna's. "Why don't just you four go? I have many, many things to plan." She took in Anna's crestfallen, guilty expression. "It's not your fault. I just—"

She paused. "You can tell me about it when you get back. Have fun!" She waved cheerfully, and the smiling hurt her cheeks. Anna looked doubtful, but when Elsa took her hand and said, "Please. Do this for me," Anna smiled a little. Elsa pushed her on, a grin on her face that she hoped would go into her voice. "I'll be fine! You just have fun! Don't forget to tell me about the view when you get back!" She gave Anna a quick hug, and waved them out of the study. "Don't forget to bring Olaf! He will probably love the view. Good bye! I love you!"

When the door finally shut behind them, Elsa collapsed to the couch. The fake cheerfulness slipped from her face, and the disappointment and longing that she had been concealing spilled into her expression. She loved picnics. It was like they were a real, full family again! And the clearing and the view would probably look amazing. If only it was impossible for her to leave the castle without an escort of many guards. It would be like having a picnic among your distant annoyingly watchful and absolutely stranger relatives. The picnic would be absolutely ruined.

She didn't get why she needed guards in the first place! She had powers that were beyond anything anyone could comprehend! What protection could be better than that?

She sighed and sat up straight on the couch. She had been telling the truth about the long list of things she needed to do. Planning had to begin right away!

She stood up. She would call the maids, and they would be able to fetch Kai and deliver any messages around the castle. She walked over to the curtains of the window, and reached through them to catch hold of the golden thread rope that would call the maids to her private study. Just before she pulled it though, she caught sight of Anna.

They were still in the courtyard, they hadn't left for their picnic. Olaf leapt around them in circles, and Sven was sniffing the air, already harnessed to the sleigh. Kristoff held Anna's waist as he put her into the sleigh, and he was listening intently as she chattered. Elsa sighed. She missed Anna's company already.

She looked at the queer-looking group a moment longer, and then she pulled the rope.


End file.
